Musical instrument



' MUSICAL INSTRUIENT Filed March 1926 INVENTOR 0 WITNESSES :1

if Grebe l amw I W ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 25, 192

rnnm mox GRETSCH, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MUSICAL STRUMENT.

Applicati on fl led March 1, 1926. Serial No. 91,527.

Thisinvention relates to a musical stringed instrument and has for an object to provice an improved construction capable of LUSG with all plectrum head instruments.

Another object of the'invention is to provide an improved construct-ion for musical. in-

, struments of the general type known as likelele. banjos, banjos, mandolin banjos and tenor banjos, wherein the vibratile. member or skin is supported at a distance from the head pro er of the instrument. i

A furt er object, more specifically, is to provide in a. musical instrument, an 'lIIlproved head structure wherein there ispresented a rim and bottom with means spaced from the ring for supporting a diaphragm so that the sound produced may pass from both sides of the diaphragm and be defleetedby the ring and body in a desired direction.

In the accompanying drawing.

- Figure 1 is a plan View of a ukelele banjo,

disclosing a preferred embodiment of the invention. 7

" Figure2 is asectional view through Fig.

ures 1 on line 2-2. c

Figure 3 is an enlarged'fragmentary top plan View ofpart of the head shown in Figure .1, certain parts being broken away for better illustrating the location of certain parts. 1

' Figure 4 is a perspective view of'one of the angle brackets used in the head.

Referring to, the accompanying drawing by numerals, '1 indicates the usual or pre gferred neck structure to which one end of the variousstrings 2 are connectedin any desired -II1&DI1QI,'SL1d stringspassing over a bridge 3 of usual construction and from thencethroughvariousnotches 4 in ring 5 to alpoint where they may be secured; The

strings may be secured to ring 5 inany de sired manner, as for instance, by being sup-.

plied withknots which are not capable of andassociated parts. the rim 6 is continuous throughout and also the bottom 7 is continuous throughoutwhile the ring 5 is spaced from rim 6 but permits being pulled through the openings 4. Associated with. the neck 1 is a head structure which consists of an outer rim 6 preferably of wood, a bottom 7 of wood, ring. 5 preferably of metal and the diaphragmor skin 9 It will be noted that the sound to. readily pass from the interior of the head structure outwardly away from the bottom 7 which acts as a sounding board.

A plurality of substantially L-shaped brackets 10 are secured to the rim 6 by suitable screws 11, each of said brackets having a threaded opening 12 for receiving the respective screws 13. A diaphragm supporting ring 14 preferably of metal, normally rests against the outwardly extending portion of the various brackets 10 and is firmly held against the same through the action" of the diaphragm or skin 9, clamping ring 5 and screws 13. The diaphragm 9 is provided with any kind of a rolled or enlarged edge 15 which is engaged by the inner edgeot the until the desired tension is secured. The ring 5 is provided with an upstanding flange ring 5 and pressed toward the brackets 10,

16 which acts as a reinforcing structure to the ring and also as means for smoothing and holding part of the skin against the periphery of the ring. 14. i

By this construction and arrangement of bracket, ring 5 and associated parts, the diaphragm or vibratile member is suspended so as to be substantially flush with the top edge of rim 6. By thus suspending these parts, the toneis greatly improved and the diaphragm is more or less protected. It

[will be understood that the instrument is played in the usual manner and that the various str1ngs 2 vibrate to produce the desired sound which are assisted and augn'iented by the diaphragm 9 and. associated parts. Prel erably the bottom? is solid so that the soundv can be directed in a general direction toward the'audienceor toward any desired location. Prei'erably the space between the rim 5 and the ring 6'is small, though if desired, it could be made much larger without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: v

A stringed musical instrument having porting ring, a clamping ring spaced from the rim and surrounding said diaphragm supporting rin means for securing said clamping ring to said brackets and over the diaphragm supporting ring whereby said clamping ring secures said diaphragm in place, a neck connected to said rim, and vibratile strings connected to said clamping ring but out of contact with said rim, and supported on said bridge and extending across the diaphragm and along the neck, and means for securing one end of said strings to said neck.

FREDERICK GRETSCH. 

